Kogi Speaker sponsors 50 youths for skills acquisition in readiness for Ajoakuta take-off

In anticipation of the eventual take off of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Umar Imam, has concluded arrangement to sponsor 50 youths from his Lokoja 1 constituency to acquire necessary vocational skills at the Nigeria/Korea Friendship Institute Lokoja the state capital.

The speaker who stated this during a tour of his constituency in Lokoja observed that the state government has a well equipped the institution at its disposal to train its youths for self reliance and employment but left to remain idle.

Two years ago, the state government in partnership with the Republic of Korea, established a skill acquisition institute at the state polytechnic in Lokoja which is yet to fully take off.

Hon Imam who saw an opportunity in the ambitious programme of the institution has secured admission for 50 youths from his constituency to be trained in industrial welding, Auto mobile engineering. Carpentery, plumbing, civil engineering, among others, will qualify for middle cadre jobs at the steel company which he hopes will soon take off.

According to him, the federal government has signified its intention to kick start the Ajaokuta Steel company but lamented the lack of skill personnel in kogi state that will work there when it eventually takes off.

The speaker therefore announced his plans to train 50 youths through the Nigeria /Korea friendship initiative for a vocational institute. to train the youths in various vocational enterprises.

Imam said unemployment will soon be a thing of the past in the state as the state sixth Assembly under his watch is liaising with the federal government on how the projects will be completed for the benefits of the people.

The company which was built during the then Soviet Union is 98% completed having gulped over $4billion and needs only $1billion to start up its first phase.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 150 artisans have benefited from the empowerment scheme sponsored by the speaker. He has also penciled down 100 women to be empowered with N20,000 each for petty trading.

Imam, who visited some wards in his constituency, explained to his constituents that despite forces that mitigated his stay in the house in the first year among which are court litigation, leadership tussle, he remained focused to give back to his people who he represents.

The lawmaker pointed that in education, huge success has been recorded just as scholarship were given to deserving candidates, writing material were distributed to schools to brighten the future of his people.

Imam who maintained that education remains the bedrock for any meaningful development in the state, observed that social vices such as kidnapping, armed robbery, corruption will be reduced to its minimal level.

On human capital development, Imam observed that those that are driving the economy are small and medium enterprise.

“I don’t believe that empowering youths is by giving them #10,000. The next time you will see them is computer village buying handset.

Politician should allow the youths to feel their impacts in the country. Teach them how to catch fish and not to give them fish” The Speaker explained.